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Re: Re: Formatting posts

• To: mathgroup@smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg10842] Re: [mg10774] Re: [mg10745] Formatting posts
• From: seanross@worldnet.att.net
• Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 21:01:53 -0500
• References: <199802050558.AAA14311@smc.vnet.net.>

> 
> If everyone used the same type of computer and was familiar with the
> same compression/decompression tools, then sending things in a
> compressed format might be entirely practical.  When sending messages
> to a broad audience, however, this is not a valid assumption.
> 
> Here in the technical support group at Wolfram Research we have quite a
> lot of experience with compressed files.  We get compressed files all
> the time, and have figured out how to recognize and decode dozens of
> different file compression formats.  This is not always easy, though,
> and I cannot recommend burdening anyone else with this task.
> 
> I use several different computers, each with a different collection of
> decompression tools.  Not all of them have pkunzip, so if I get a
> Mathematica notebook in that format -- or any other compressed format
> -- I may or may not be able to read it.
> 
> Mathematica notebooks are stored as plain ascii files.  This is a highly
> portable format, which is why notebooks are stored that way. I've never
> had any significant trouble opening a Mathematica notebook, and would
> be disappointed if people starting exchanging notebooks in some
> compressed format.
> 
> Dave Withoff
> Wolfram Research


I only suggested a compressed format because my browser is not smart
enough to keep an appended text file as a separate file.  It always
wants to just put it into the e-mail message.  I have NEVER been able
to get mathematica to recognize a file saved with a text editor as a
notebook.  Yes I have followed the directions contained in the header,
but mathematica does not recognize the result.  If the notebook is a
separate file, I can get mathematica to recognize it.  If you paste the
text of a notebook into an email message and I try to select and paste
it into a text editor and save it, mathematica will not recognize the
result no matter what the documentation says.  The important thing for
portability is that the notebook be saved intact and as a file I can
save to my hard drive as a notebook.  Perhaps a self-extracting
executable would be a decent alternative.


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• References:
  • Re: Formatting posts
    • From: David Withoff <withoff@wolfram.com>